Department of Biological Sciences: Leading the way to Prominence
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Graduate Concentration in Biotechnology: M.S. Policy and Curriculum (Prior to June 2008)

This document is only applicable to students who matriculated before June 2008. Students who matriculated during or after June 2008 should view the current Biotechnology M.S. document.

Purpose

The Master's degree program in Biotechnology provides a mechanism for students graduating with a B.S. in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Biotechnology to obtain an accelerated Master's degree. Many B.S. students in the program are engaged in independent research during their undergraduate years and have obtained substantial results. A year or so of additional lab work after graduation would add significantly to their productivity and potentially qualify them for a Master's degree. The combination of the Master's degree, the extensive research experience and the hands-on experience obtained in the laboratory courses of the B.S. program should provide these students with excellent credentials to obtain a job in the biotech industry.

Mechanics

Students apply during their last year in the B.S. program however students with an interest in this program should ideally identify themselves by August before their last year since it may affect their course selections during the senior year. The deadline for applications is January 15 of senior year. Decisions regarding admission are made early in the Spring semester for formal entrance at the beginning of the summer session.

Requirements for Admission into M.S. Biotech Program

  1. 3.0 overall GPA, 3.0 in the sciences
  2. Be on track for the 4 year B.S. degree
  3. Have started a research project with a faculty sponsor who has a primary or secondary appointment in the Department of Biological Sciences.
  4. Have taken the math, verbal and analytical Graduate Record Examinations. Typical competitive scores are approximately 550 for the Verbal, and 650 for the Quantitative and Analytical tests.
  5. Be accepted by the Graduate Affairs Committee of the Department of Biological Sciences. Admission is competitive and those who meet the stated minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission. Also, those who fail to meet all those requirements are not necessarily precluded from admission if they offer other appropriate strengths.
  6. Students not currently enrolled in the B.S. degree program in biotechnology may apply and gain admission if they can demonstrate that they can meet all B.S. degree requirements by the end of their fourth (senior) year. This also applies to transfer (i.e. non UD) students.

Expectations of Students in Last Year of B.S. Program

  1. Students must choose either the Molecular Biology and Genetics Track or Cell and Organ Systems Physiology Track.
  2. Complete all requirements for B.S. degree program in biotechnology with coursework choices influenced by the graduate track in which they wish to enroll. Students are encouraged to seek guidance from Biotech Director as well as Graduate Track Coordinator since all course work must be completed by end of 5th year.
  3. Continue to work on research project. Students can, if they wish, write and defend a thesis and obtain a degree with distinction or an honors degree with distinction. However, students may wish to defer the writing of their thesis until they are in the Master's program since the same research can not be used to satisfy Degree with Distinction and MS requirements. If students satisfy the honors requirements, they can still get an honors degree without having to defend a thesis.
  4. Prepare for the graduate preliminary examination in the appropriate graduate track.

Requirements for M.S. Degree

  1. Work full time on thesis research during summer after admission. Summer stipends will be provided.
  2. Early in the summer after matriculation, take graduate preliminary examination in a particular graduate track. In case a student does not perform satisfactorily, he/she must retake the exam in the Fall semester after admission into the M.S. program. Failure the second time results in dismissal from M.S. program.
  3. Required courses: Students are expected to fulfill the coursework requirements of either the Molecular Biology and Genetics track or the Cell and Organ Systems Physiology track by taking courses either during the BS program or MS year. However, at least two of the required courses must be taken during the MS year.

Recommended Curriculum for students interested in Molecular Biology and Genetics

Fall semester of Senior year

  • BISC 602 Molecular Biology of Animal Cells
  • BISC 604 Nucleic Acids Laboratory
  • Other requirements and electives as needed

Spring semester of Senior year

  • BISC 654 Biochemical Genetics
  • BISC 619 Gene Expression Laboratory
  • Other requirements and electives as needed

First Summer of Master's program

  • BISC 868 Research 6 credits

Fall Semester of Master's program

  • BISC 868 Research (8 credits)
  • BISC 665 Advanced Molecular Biology and Genetics (3 credits)
  • BISC 827 Graduate Student Seminar (1 credit)

Total: 12 credits

Spring Semester of Master's program

Total 12 credits

Total required M.S. credits: 30

Recommended curriculum for students interested in Cell and Organ Systems Physiology

Fall semester of Senior year

  • BISC 605 Advanced Mammalian Physiology
  • BISC 604 Nucleic Acids Laboratory
  • Other requirements and electives as needed

Spring semester of Senior year

  • BISC 612 Advanced Cell Biology
  • BISC 619 Gene Expression Laboratory
  • Other requirements and electives as needed

First Summer of Master's program

  • BISC 868 Research (6 credits)

Fall semester of Master's program

Total: 12 credits

Spring semester of Master's program

  • BISC 869 Masters thesis (6 credits)
  • BISC 6XX Elective - must be on COS track approved list and Master's in biotechnology list shown below (3 credits)
  • BISC 806 Advances in Cell and Organ Systems (2 credits)
  • BISC 827 (1 credit)

Total: 12 credits

Total required MS credits: 30

Master's degree in Biotechnology 6XX courses

  • BISC 602 - Molecular Biology of Animal Cells
  • BISC 605 - Advanced Mammalian Physiology
  • BISC 612 - Advanced Cell Biology
  • BISC 615 - Vertebrate Developmental Biology
  • BISC 648 - Bioremediation
  • BISC 654 - Biochemical Genetics
  • BISC 656 - Evolutionary Genetics
  • BISC 665 - Eukaryotic Molecular Biology and Genetics
  • BISC 673 - Advances in Immunology
  • BISC 679 - Virology
  • BISC 693 - Human Genetics
  • ANSC 670 - Principles of Molecular Genetics
  • CHEM 648 - Membrane Biochemistry

Mechanism of Support

Financial aid is available to all graduate students in the form of Assistantships. In addition, all graduate students in Biological Sciences on an Assistantship receive a full tuition scholarship from the University of Delaware.

Thesis Requirement

Students are encouraged to write and defend a thesis within one year and must do so within three years after matriculation into the M.S. degree program.

Thesis Committee

No later than August 1st after admission, students form and meet with their thesis committee as outlined in graduate programs policy. The committee must meet at least twice prior to the defense.

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